


in case of trouble

by Jstriker



Category: Bastion (Video Game), Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/F, Gen, M/M, all the relationships are heavy heavy implied but. yknow, anyways play bastion, depression simulator: the experience!, ill add more tags later probably, the persona 5 bastion au that absolutely nobody asked for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:35:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22554133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jstriker/pseuds/Jstriker
Summary: Proper stories are s'posed to start at the beginning. This one, though?This one ain't so simple.
Relationships: Implied Sakura Futaba/Yoshizawa Kasumi, Implied Suzui Shiho/Takamaki Ann, implied sakamoto ryuji/kurusu akira
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi hello hey it's been a bajillion years but i am alive and here i am working on things i really shouldnt be. uh. Uh.
> 
> anyways! my brains been kickin my ass these past few months and ive been really meanin to work on my other projects but. i have not been able to stop thinkin about this au. it haunts me. and so here we are. no betas we die like men
> 
> no but seriously this au is such a special thing to me and i hope you guys are able to enjoy it because. aha.  
> please enjoy!
> 
> anyways play bastion.

_Proper stories are s'posed to start at the beginning. This one, though?_

_This one ain't so simple._

_Now, here's a kid whose whole world got tipped upside down. She wakes up, finds herself stuck on a rock in the sky. She gets up. Looks around for just a second, tryin' to make sense of it all. But she can't spare too much time._

_She sets off. Towards the Bastion. The place people are s'posed to go to, in case of trouble._

_Funny enough, the ground starts risin' up under her feet. It's like it's tryin' to form a path for her. She can't afford to stop and wonder why. And whaddya know; she trudges forward long enough, and runs into a dear old friend, just lyin' in the road..._

_...It's a touchin' reunion, to say the least. She picks up the cael hammer quick, slings it on her shoulder. It’s a funny sight, if I’m bein’ honest. Such a tiny kid swingin’ a hammer bigger than herself with all the rage and fury of a grown soldier._

_She’s surprised when she gets a glimpse of the Rippling Walls. What’s left of them. The Calamity, it did a number on them. Years of hard work, gone in a flash._

_She lets herself go for a while. Rages. Breaks all the crates and vases she can get to, ‘til she has to plop her hammer down and take a breather._

_She picks her head up, spots somethin’ in the distance. A survivor? No, no ma’am. It’s a mean ol’ Gasfella. Most of ‘em were probably forced outta underground. Doesn’t matter too much though; that pickaxe of his might be tough, but the kid, she’s tougher. Does him in good._

_She didn’t leave without a scratch, though. Those bruises on her side are startin’ to set in, but she keeps movin’. No time to waste._

_She keeps on walkin’, and somethin’ suddenly drops outta the sky. An old repeater. It misses her head. Must be her lucky day._

_She never really got the chance to shoot one of ‘em before. Now’s her chance. She picks it up, but it’s heavier than it looks. Takes a hot minute to spin up the chamber, she’s gotta hold it steady to get it right. Makes a couple test shots, and she works like a charm._

_Kid stops when she hits a fountain. Looks real invitin'. She must’ve worked up a thirst by now, if the way she rushed over and swiped herself a bottle full of water said anythin’._

_She’s takin’ a swig of water when she notices somethin’ else; a school of Squirts, just tunnelin’ around her. Tiny little things. Probably fled from the mines too. That new repeater the kid’s got comes in handy, makes real quick work of ‘em. They ain’t gonna be botherin’ her anymore._

  
  
  


_Kid finds a memento from a girl she used to know. Always used to fancy her._

* * *

Futaba doesn’t say anything when she first spots the familiar red ribbon. It’s just lying on the ground, somewhat frayed at the ends.

She’s still silent when she bends down on her knees to pick it up. It shouldn’t just be out here like this. She always took such good care of it. It should still be neatly tied up in flaming red hair.

She folds the ribbon up neatly before pocketing it. Wouldn’t wanna ruin it or wrinkle it up, just in case…

Futaba shakes her head, pushing herself off her knees. She’s gotta keep moving.

* * *

_Hardly anythin’ is standin’ at this point. It’s a wonder she finds the saloon still standin’ just fine. Used to have a real nice view, from what I can recall. Must not be so nice anymore._

_She sets foot inside. Takes in what’s left of one of Caelondia’s most famous drinkin’ holes. She turns her head to the counter, finds one of its most prominent customers. Ohya, poor girl, stiff as concrete, taken by the calamity before her drinking got to her._

_Kid doesn’t believe her eyes. Walks up to the counter, tries to poke at Ohya’s side, but it doesn’t help. Ohya falls apart into a pile of ashes. Gone._

_It can’t be real. Kid takes off her glasses and tries to clean them on her dusty shirt. It doesn’t help any. It’s all real. Ohya’s gone._

_The bar’s mostly empty, save for another familiar face just lyin’ out on the floor. Her trusty shield, just waitin’ for her. It’s a big fella; she crouches down right, she can get it to cover her whole body._

_Right as she gets a good handle on it, though... It’s security. It’s taken her for a petty thief, and it ain’t about to let up easy. Not with those turrets it sets up on her. Nasty things with dragon-shaped heads and open mouths, ready to fire blasts of energy at a moment’s notice._

_It’s another stroke of luck that the Kid’s just got her shield back. She’d have probably been toast without it._

_She manages to block the energy blast from the turret. Sends it barreling right back towards it, and then it’s blown to bits. She can’t rest easy just yet, though._

_Boxes start tumblin’ to the floor from higher up the building. It’s a special delivery of Windbags, just for the Kid._

_She’s got no problem dealin’ with the Gasfellas, but the Squirts, they’re small, and they just keep comin’. A big ol’ Scumbag decides to show his face in front of her too. She and her hammer can only do so much._

_Kid catches sight of somethin'; A way to the Bastion, just a way out the window. It’s a bit of a drop. But she makes a hell of a run for it anyways._

_And then she jumps._

* * *

_She gets a good look at things on her way down. Though there ain’t really much to see anymore._

_She lands herself in the Wharf District. Right on top of a breaker’s bow. Neither her nor the bow are broke._

_The bow is a beautiful red. Sturdy. Just like the ones the breakers used to tote around._

_She picks the bow up, glancing around for any loose arrows. She doesn’t expect to find a full quiver just lying right next to where she’d fallen. She doesn’t complain. Just picks it up wordlessly. Slings it around her shoulder._

_It only takes a few steps ‘fore the Kid finds herself a good perch to practice with the bow. The security turrets that are hangin’ around take notice, and she figures she could use a few good targets. It takes a few tries, but she gets the hang of it, and she’s lettin’ arrows fly true in no time. Those turrets are nothin’ after a few good shots._

_She finds somethin’ else close by, somethin’… stringy, that’s the word. Breakers were considered some of the fastest folks around. That somethin’ stringy was a good memento of them._

_The security systems around the Wharf still work like a charm. Too bad most of ‘em are aimin’ straight for the kid, but she’s tryin’ not to let it bother her too much. She’s got a whole ‘nother bout of fight in her after a good few gulps of that water she saved up._

_She spots somethin’ odd while she’s takin’ a quick breather. A tome, dusty and bent up. But it’s still legible. Kid flips through a few pages, picks up a few pointers on how to swing that hammer. She’s always been a fast learner._

_She gets far enough, and ends up hittin’ the Wharf’s arsenal. The distillery’s right next to it, and they’re both still standin’, surprisingly. You wouldn’t expect it in such a tough part of town._

_The distillery’s spirits have a kick to ‘em; if the Kid were old enough, one sip of one would make her feel like a new girl._

_She does pick up some extra ammo from the arsenal. Havin’ extra bullets and arrows on hand can never do you too much harm._

_She marches forward._

_Eventually the Kid stops, notices a couple cornbins just sittin’ out in the open. She doesn’t get much of a chance to react once they start birthin’ out Squirts like crazy._

_She’ll never get anywhere just fightin’ off those Squirts; long as the cornbins still stand, Squirts’ll keep on comin’. A few strong swings from her hammer make certain that those cornbins won’t be a problem anymore, but those last few Squirts get in a good few headbutts before they kick the bucket._

_She finally gets a chance to breathe. Kid takes another swig of her water, but there’s not much left. She’s gotta make this last bit last for now._

_Whaddyou know, she happens upon another person when she derails from her path for a spell. The tutor, if I’m rememberin’ right… Miss Kawakami. Pretty good teacher. Might’ve even tried teachin’ the Kid for a little while. Kid never used much of what she learned from her._

_Miss Kawakami, still as a statue. Kid knows what to expect, but she reaches her hand out anyways. There goes Miss Kawakami, another pile of ashes._

_She gets back on her path and comes across an old ferrybarge. The last stretch toward the Bastion._

_It’s a relatively peaceful ride, save for the occasional turrets and windbags that the ferry would pass by. But the Kid’s just fine by the time it stops._

_The ferrybarge stops right on a makeshift plaza of sorts. Looks like a big barren hunk of blue concrete._

_There’s somethin’ sittin’ right in the center of the plaza. Looks heavy. Kid can’t help but get drawn in by it. It might be useful, after all._

_It’s a chunk of alloy, she realizes as she picks it up. Sure enough, it’s solid and heavy._

_The smell of rotten blueberries wafts through the air once she grabs the alloy. That sends her warning signs straight away; that smell could only mean a Scumbag’s nearby. Maybe grabbing that alloy was a bad move._

_She can smell it, but she can’t see it anywhere. The plaza’s empty. Nothin’s in sight. Not until somethin’ starts whizzin’ closer.It gets louder, and louder, and that’s when the Kid decides to look up._

_She barely gets a chance to jump outta the way before the Scumbag slams down right in the center of the plaza. He didn’t come alone, either. A couple of bigger-than-usual Gasfellas start floatin’ in from both sides, beatin’ on the ground ‘til it gives out and breaks. The Plaza’s gettin’ smaller and smaller by the minute._

_Kid takes out one of those Gasfellas with a few good power shots from her bow. As for the other one, she gets up close and personal. Swings her hammer down right onto him a few times. She stumbles a bit, nearly falls into one of the holes in the ground. But she gets the chance to steady herself for one final swing when the fella raises his pickaxe. Bam. Now all she’s gotta worry about is that Scumbag._

_It’s spittin’ out blue gunk left and right, and the Kid nearly gets her foot stuck in a pile. The repeater’s her best bet for this one, and she’s barely able to hold it still, but she gets in a good few shots. The Scumbag is… startin’ to shrink. It’s gettin’ smaller with each shot that lands, and it’s startin’ to hop closer and closer to her. She ends up resortin’ to her trusty old friend; once it gets too close for comfort._ _  
  
_

_Her hammer meets its side. It puts it out of its misery._

_She never noticed the gate sittin’ at the edge of the plaza ‘til now. It’s openin’ up. She’s really startin’ to feel all those fights weighin’ down on her, but she’s just gotta hold out for just a bit longer._

_The gate opens up a path for her. It leads straight to the heart of the Wharf; the core of the Wharf District is waiting._

* * *

The Wharf District’s core is just sitting here, out in the open. It looks like a large crystal… It’s actually quite beautiful.

Futaba’s not sure what to do. She could just ignore it and head straight to the Bastion. But, something’s telling her that she shouldn’t leave it here. She reaches out for it, then pulls her hand back. She repeats the action a few more times, before making her decision.

The crystal is cool to the touch. The heart of the city lies nestled in her hands. And that’s when the ground begins to rumble.

* * *

_Kid steals the heart of the city._

_She figured, might as well. And then everything starts to fall apart and crumble before her, and she doesn’t even give a second thought before she’s runnin’ as fast as her legs can carry her._

_The Wharf is startin’ to fall apart. Once she took that core, there was nothin’ keepin’ that town together anymore._

_She doesn’t stop for any more fights. She doesn’t stop to take a peek at anything that tries to catch her eyes. She just runs._

_At the very least, she catches sight of the skyway just up ahead. One final burst of energy gets her right to the pad, and then she’s launched on her way; whisked off to where she’s been meanin’ to go._

* * *

_Caelondia’s safe haven, once the highest point in the city. At least, it would’ve been, had it been finished before the calamity hit._

_Kid wakes up. Finds herself lyin’ on a patch of grass. And it only takes her a moment to realize that she’s made it. This is it. The Bastion._

* * *

Futaba whips her head around as she jolts up from the ground. She never thought she’d make it, but here she is.

Are there any other survivors? Did anyone else make it? From the looks of it, the Bastion itself seems barren. There’s something to it, like it’s… unfinished. Futaba clutches her hammer close to her chest. She can’t know what to expect.

There’s a set of steps leading up higher into the Bastion. She’s wary as she climbs them, one step at a time. 

There’s not much, but… there’s someone. Another survivor! Someone did make it! She’s dashing over before she can think of anything else, and the other man is quick to take notice.

It’s a guy in his older years. Dark hair, with a beard. Glasses, just like hers. An architect, maybe? That’s her thought, if the man’s apron is anything to go by. 

She’s filled with relief. She didn’t know if there’d be others.

* * *

_The Kid, she finds me._

_We sit and chat for a while._

_She pulls the city crest off her back first, when I point it out. It’s got a simple gear shape to it, but it’s also got power from the Bastion coursin’ through it; just enough to show where the rest of the Bastion’s cores are hidin’._

_She pulls out the core from her pack next. She doesn’t seem sure of what she’s gotta do with it, so I just tell her to set it in the monument sittin’ in the center of the Bastion. Once she does that, she can just sit and watch._

_She seems to hesitate for a second before walkin’ off towards the monument. Looked like she still had questions. Maybe she’ll ask ‘em later._

_She sets the core in the monument, and just like that, the Bastion comes alive. It’s startin' to get its strength back again. Kid’s gonna put that power to good use; the skyway’s expanded now. She can go farther off Caelondia’s unknown._

_She’s got a chance to set up a facility. She asks for advice on what to build. I just tell her to build what’ll help her out. She ponders for a while, and once she decides, the last of the core’s power goes into crafting an arsenal. The Bastion’s a place of peace, but we’ll hold our own if we have to._

_Kid has no idea what’s waitin’ out there for her. But she’s prepared, at the very least. The winds of the skyway are ready to send her flying to whatever distant lands she chooses._

_She comes back to me before she sets out though._

* * *

Futaba pads her way back to the stranger. The ribbon sitting in her pocket feels so heavy.

She taps on his side to grab his attention. It works, as he turns to her and nods his head. “Need somethin’?”

She fumbles with the ribbon when she pulls it out of her pocket. It sits neatly folded in her palm, and she holds it up for the stranger to see.

“...have you seen her? She’s got red hair, and she’s real sweet. Couldn’t miss her in a crowd.”

The stranger frowns. “...this is the Bastion, kid. She would’ve showed up, y’know?”

Futaba sighs. She pockets the ribbon again, giving the stranger a curt nod before heading back towards the skyway. Still just her and the good old hammer for now…


	2. chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> what's a kid s'posed to say to a boy that's seen too much? she hasn't got a clue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. Hello. help. i've been in such a bad funk and it sucks so bad. but! here i am! with another chapter of... this. i'm so sorry
> 
> shoutout to nami for basically beta-ing this. i am in hell. please play bastion i am begging. also happy p5r everybody

The first thing Futaba notices once the skyway whisks her up is just how _vast_ home is. Plenty of places to drop into. Training grounds to visit. Cores to find. 

The spot closest to her, it’s not too familiar, but she thinks she remembers enough. She gets a tighter grip on her hammer, and all at once she’s falling, down, down, down…

  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  


_Skyway leads the kid right down, towards the Workmen Ward. Windbags used to always keep these parts hummin’._

_These twisted streets she finds herself in don’t leave much to her sense of direction. All she can say is there’s a core down one of ‘em._

  
  


_She checks the east path first. Doesn’t find much. Kid doesn’t waste too much time here, but she checks out the forge; it’s a surprise that it’s still standin’ without any windbags watchin’ over it. Her hammer gets a good polish._

_There’s no core down this alley, so she heads back down south. Leads her down to the biggest dump in the city. Scumbag Alley, they call it. Pretty fitting, if you ask me. It's namesakes are just roamin’ around, feedin’ off of whatever trash they can find. Kid doesn’t mind ‘em too much, they aren’t botherin’ her any. No sign of the core here either._

  
  


_She heads back, down west to the Squirt Steppes. Manages to trip on somethin’ right near the entrance. Sharp and shiny red, that’s what the war machete lyin’ on the ground looks like. Kid doesn’t hesitate to pick it up. It’s light, easy to throw around. A blessing, for dealin’ with the sudden wave of squirts that starts to swarm her. It’s no bow, but it’ll work for now. The repeater helps her take care of the stray cornbin._

  
  


_She finds out quickly that even the most stubborn of squirts can be tamed._

* * *

  
  
  
  


A squirt lure? Just lying out in the open like this?

Futaba finds it quite strange. These things are more than useful, so who’d be dumb enough to…

...well, no one, probably. Someone must’ve been unfortunate, that’s all. She picks it up, twisting it around to examine it. It’s weirdly shaped. A whistle-like contraption with two holes in the front. She blows on it, just to test it. It’s a short, quick whistle.

Nothing seems to have happened. She shrugs it off, but when she turns around she comes face to face with one of the little rascals. It’s… acting different. It’s not trying to violently ram into her. It’s friendly. In fact, the little guy’s happily nuzzling into her side, and it doesn’t get angry when she gently shoves it away.

It’s looking up at her, bright-blue eyes filled with curiosity as they bore holes into her skull. She tilts her head at it, and it tilts its own head just the same.

“...you aren’t gonna cause me any trouble, are you?”

  
  


The squirt chirps happily, doing a little twirl before rising higher into the air. Futaba sighs.

  
  


“C’mon then, li’l Monamona. Can’t stay here much longer.”

  
  


Li’l Monamona chirps again, bobbing up and down as it follows its new friend, up and away from the Squirt Steppes. 

“We’ve just gotta check up north,” she tells it.

They stay silent for a little while, but Futaba’s not quite feeling the silence anymore. She starts talking to Monamona again. “Y’know, I hear the foreman used to stay here. Big gasfella, used to keep watch over all the other windbags workin’ down here. Think we’re gonna find anythin’?”

Before Monamona can chirp out their reply, something whizzes past the pair. Futaba impulsively steps in front of the squirt, and suddenly they’re surrounded by a lovely little group of windbags. Turrets start popping to life from behind them. Futaba’s doing her best to hack away at the closest gasfellas.

Her new machete’s quite the help. She slashes away, darting around and dodging bullets and pickaxes alike, and once she’s finally downed the last of them, she hides Monamona and herself behind her shield, deflecting the bullets till they meet their makers.

She’s breathing heavy once everything’s over and done with; she nearly stumbles to her knees, but she plants the hammer down just in time to keep her up. Monamona’s floating up right by her. But something catches its attention; it whizzes past her. 

She’s about to reach out a hand to it, stumbles forward for a better chance to reach it, but it doesn’t even go far. It simply crawls under a weird looking cloth that’s landed on the ground nearby. When its body floats back up, she can make out that it’s picked up a gasfella hood.

“You look pretty comfy… Hey, you think that’s why every gasfella has one?” Monamona tilts its head to the side, the hood just about ready to completely slide off its body.

Futaba tilts her head to the step just a ways ahead. Last place to check.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


_Lo and behold, the core’s right there waitin’ for her. Or, more like waitin’ to be broken outta the cage it’s stuck in. Kid tries to swing at it with her hammer— no dice. The bars don’t budge._

_She’s stumped. How does she get it out now?_

_She doesn’t have to wait very long for an answer, not when she’s bein’ swarmed by another group of gasfellas. Strange thing is, none of them are making a move to attack her._

_No, a big lookin’ gasfella comes out of the building the cage is stationed in front of. Good evening, foreman. It’s like he’s tryin’ to show off to the other fellas, keepin’ them in line while takin’ swings at the kid._

_The gasfellas have got a tight circle around them. Kid’s feelin’ the pressure from dodging every swing, and the foreman’s swings are constant. But he slams his pickaxe straight into the ground, and she rolls to the side; gets him clean in the back with a sharp throw of that machete. Foreman’s down, and there’s a new marshal in town._

_The other fellas disappear; figure they don’t wanna cause trouble for the kid who brought down their foreman with no trouble._

_It works out just fine for the kid. Turns out, the cage rose up durin’ that little scuffle. Core’s free to take. Kid doesn’t waste time pocketing it._

_She hears the ward groan when she takes the core. She ain’t too worried, though; this place is too tough to crumble. She could take time to check the other streets again, if she really wanted to._

_She figures it’s best not to linger too long. She’s already got her way out. Right where she started, at the center of these twisted streets._

  
  


* * *

  
  


Monamona’s made himself quite comfy, nestled in Futaba’s bandana. She manages to not squish him when she falls face first in front of the Bastion’s entrance.

She pushes herself up slowly, steadily. When she’s back on her feet, she begins poking at her bandana; Monamona gets the message, and floats out from his little hiding spot.

  
  


She can feel the core’s energy, a dull pulse coursing through her body. Monamona can feel it too, she thinks. He floats close to her as she makes her way up the steps.

  
  


The stranger’s waiting for them. He acknowledges her with a curt nod, Monamona with a raised brow.

  
  


When she’s close enough, she hears him ask, “New friend of yours?”, and she replies with a nod. “Started taggin’ along with me cuz of a squirt lure. He wanted to stick around, too. Oh, speakin’ of ‘stick’, we found another one.”

She swiftly pulls the core out of her pack to present to the man, and his lips curl up. “I’m sure you know the drill by now. Go ahead and set it.”

She gives another nod before heading up to the monument. Monamona stays near the man, inching closer and closer to his face. 

The core does its job good. The Bastion is mending itself. A new opportunity for a new facility presents itself. Futaba truly considers bringing in the distillery— maybe for a laugh, maybe to see how the stranger would react— but, nah. He’d probably nag her about bein’ too young to drink. She’ll save that one for later. 

  
  


Forge. She’ll put a forge. You can never be too careful when it comes to keeping your weapons in tip top shape.

  
  


She heads back to the stranger when she’s done. He seems a bit occupied with observing Monamona, but a clearing of her throat gets his attention well enough.

She pulls the ragged hood out of her pack. “We found this after a fight in the ward,” she begins, fidgeting with the fabric. “Why d’you think all those gasfellas wear the same hood for?”

  
  


“I couldn’t tell ya, kid.”

  
  


“Darn… d’you think they’re angry? About all this?”

  
  
  


“I’d say so. Gettin’ your home ripped away right under your nose might be enough to get under your skin, I think. Windbags used to be alright before all this, though. Calamity’s messed with a lot of things.” The stranger says. Futaba nods along. It makes enough sense.

“...Didja find any more cores?” She asks, after a moment of silence between them.

“Three. They’re a bit scattered. You’ll see ‘em clear enough on the skyway.” The stranger replies, spotting a quick glance towards the skyway. Three more. Three new leads.

  
  


She visits the arsenal, then the forge. Got herself set up nicely, hammer and bow ready to travel along on her future endeavors. 

Monamona tries to follow her; she notices this right away. Whipping around to face the squirt, she tells him, “You gotta stay here. It’s a lot safer. Keep the old man company for me, yeah? It’ll do you both some good.”

Monamona sulks, but he obliges, floating back to the stranger’s side. Futaba’s off in a flash.

  
  


* * *

Getting to the core in the Melting Pot is tough work.

The once-bustling marketplace was now barren, full of stabweeds with bullet-like needles that hurt like a _bitch._

Thank the gods for her trusty shield. She’d be a pin cushion without it.

  
  


The core’s stuck inside a cage, like the one in the Workmen Ward. Futaba figures there’s no way to break those bars, but she’s found the switch to the cage, at the very least. Even if pulling it causes her to be swarmed by waves of ticked off gasfellas.

Some backed off; they knew well of the kid who took down their foreman with ease. Some came to her aid, fighting alongside her.

It’s a long, _long_ battle. It feels like one, at any rate. Was that just a few minutes? Was that almost an hour?

  
  
  


She’s desperate to pull the core close when the cage reaches up far enough. She wastes no time running to the nearest barge headed back home.

  
  
  


....She ends up building that distillery. The stranger’s not impressed, neither is he laughing when he drags her out of it.

  
  


* * *

  
  


The next one was stuck in the Sundown Path. She heard it used to be a really nice place to take a walk. She’d wanted to bring her here a while back….

No time to dwell. Core to find. Too bad someone got to it before her, because the ground starts giving way under her feet before she can even react.

The amped up security makes this place a lot rowdier that it should’ve been. The skybridges linking the path together are a much appreciated help against the crumbling ground. She even ends up finding a spyglass nestled on the edge of one of the steady paths. That stranger might be able to make it useful.

  
  
  
  
  


She ends up finding the core, alright— nestled in the stomach of a rather large scumbag. She tries to fight it outta them, but it’s nowhere to be found once she takes it out. That one ain’t coming back anytime soon. She’ll just have to head home empty handed.

  
  


It’s not a fun trek back to the exit, what with the path being chock full of Caelondian live munitions and windbag crates fit to burst. The munition is a big help taking care of that windbag problem.

* * *

“No core… Feels like a big waste.” Futaba mutters, arms hugging her knees close to her body. The stranger pats her head gingerly, rising up from his seat next to her. They’re right by the monument.

“I don’t think one loss is gonna stop you for too long, kid.” He says, straightening out his apron. Monamona’s made himself comfortable on top of bright orange hair.

  
  


“...Cores might not stop me, but those dumb airways will. Why’s sky travelling gotta be so rough on ya anyway?”

  
  


“The calamity. I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. Made a lotta things messy. Bah, we’ll get the hang of it again. We did it before this mess, we can figure it out again.” There’s the slightest hint of amusement in his voice; it’s enough to get a loud, frustrated groan out of Futaba.

* * *

_The Hanging Gardens. The place to go when you needed a break from relaxin’ too much._

  
  


_The dead welcome her with open arms. That’s when it really sets in. The calamity, it really took everyone after all. The kid sees it plain and simple; the frozen, stony faces all around tell her just as much._

_She tries not to let it get to her; tries not to care about seeing them like this. She leaves them be. None of them could’ve seen the calamity coming. But she realizes, with shock, that someone did._

_A shock of bright blonde hair. It’s the first thing to catch her eye. He survived. He survived, just like her, but how? She’s gotta know. She’s gotta get to him. She has to know._

  
  


_The security turrets mean nothing to her right now. Nothing’s gonna stop her from getting to him. All she’s seen so far are stone faces, frozen in fear and confusion. People she knew, people she lost. But he was different. Why was he different? She’s got so many questions. Is she even gonna get enough time for answers…?_

  
  


_There’s proof enough that he’s not from ‘round these parts._

  
  


_(We wouldn’t be sittin’ here right now without that man, now would we.)_

  
  


_To the kid’s surprise, the core managed to survive as well. A few stony faces tried their hand at reaching it before the calamity got them. Tryin’ to save themselves must’ve gone pretty poorly. There’s not much the kid can do, except what she has to. Stone turns to ash; the core’s safe in her pack._

  
  
  


_The boy’s standing there. Gazing at the sky, empty look in his eyes. What’s a kid s’posed to say to a boy that’s seen too much?_

  
  


* * *

  
  


Futaba’s not sure how to react. Just a ways off from the core, the survivor stands, still as the stony statues that welcomed her to the path. She’d spotted him from the higher path when she’d first entered, but…

She thought she was hallucinating at first, if she were to be perfectly honest. But the boy’s there. She’s not imagining things.

She draws closer to him; he still doesn’t move. When she gets close enough, she sees his eyes, looking up to the skies. She’s never seen eyes so sad before. 

He still doesn’t move, even as she settles right next to him. Futaba lets him be, for a moment. She knows they can’t stay here.

She only waits a moment longer, before gently tugging on his sleeve. It’s enough to pull him out of his stupor. His head jolts to the side, meeting her eyes. She answers him before he can even think to ask a question.

  
  
  
  
  


_“Please. We gotta go.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really hope i can become more consistent with working on these... nonetheless, i hope you guys enjoyed it! i am not kidding when i say this is one of the things i am most most proud of putting out so i just hope you guys are able to enjoy it and have fun with it like i am,,,,,
> 
> let me know what yall think!

**Author's Note:**

> OK IF YOU GOT THIS FAR CONGRATULATIONS ANF THANK YOU?? ???? FOR GIVIN THI(S THE TIME OF DAY????
> 
> if this happens to get a good amount of attention i might. really continue this. i really really wanna keep this one goin. thank you so much for stoppin by and givin this a look i. eeeeeeee
> 
> anyways! play bastion


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